I have no idea what the designer intended, I just know that fixing divots with that tool is easier than with any tool I've ever used. Unless the ball tore a chunk of turf out of the green, which sometimes happens, a person would have a very hard time finding any repair job I've done. I am very concientious in how I leave the course behind me, usually fixing several ball marks in addition to my own. Interesting you mention pushing, thats the main motion I use and the strength of that tool makes it very easy.

Those SC tools are too thick AND they encourage the wrong form.

I believe that you use the proper form, but that doesn't change the fact that the tines or prongs are too thick. It'll be faster and easier with thinner prongs to repair greens effectively.

I had one of the fat prong items. But i filed the prongs to make them much thinner and sharper, although even now the prongs are not flat. The grip is rounded and quite adequate. I believe for most golfers the 'correct' use of this tool is unknown. They, the ignorant ones, just dig around. and maybe cause more damage. A good research topic for a senior undergrad agronomy student.

I believe that you use the proper form, but that doesn't change the fact that the tines or prongs are too thick. It'll be faster and easier with thinner prongs to repair greens effectively.

If a person has never been taught/shown how to push the dirt/turf back into place I'm not sure how any different tool will help them learn to do that. I do agree that second place goes to the ones on the far right in the pics and the "copper" ones work great too. I will stay with my belief that the SC is the best tool out there, and I've used used them all. Guess we'll just disagree on this one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joekelly

I had one of the fat prong items. But i filed the prongs to make them much thinner and sharper, although even now the prongs are not flat. The grip is rounded and quite adequate. I believe for most golfers the 'correct' use of this tool is unknown. They, the ignorant ones, just dig around. and maybe cause more damage. A good research topic for a senior undergrad agronomy student.

They seldom if ever "cause more damage". I remember a poster that used to hang in the pro shop of a course I played regularly in the late 70's early 80's. It was photos of divots that had been immediately repaired, repaired several hours later and not repaired at all. These divots were then photographed after a day, after several days and then after a week. Any attempt, no matter how amateurish, was better than no attempt at all. Bottom line, repair your divots, do your best, the greens will heal if given half a chance, they do struggle if given no chance.

If a person has never been taught/shown how to push the dirt/turf back into place I'm not sure how any different tool will help them learn to do that.

I didn't say a different tool encouraged the proper use. I said the SC tools encourage improper use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrayCat

I will stay with my belief that the SC is the best tool out there, and I've used used them all. Guess we'll just disagree on this one.

It's not, because again, the prongs are thicker than they should be. You can disagree all you like, but you're disagreeing with just about every superintendent with whom I've spoken as well. Fatter prongs put bigger holes in the greens, so to repair a green as well as someone with thinner prongs it takes longer because you end up having to repair the holes you put in the ground as well.

Might work. I've emailed some superintendents I know because I wanted to ask about those: the tines look thin but they look like they're awfully far apart, too. If I understand things properly, you want broad, thin tines. The broadness helps to push more of the raised edge. If you used needles (very thin in both directions) they'd just rip through, they wouldn't push.

But obviously there's a limit to that, because while needles wouldn't work, neither would small shovels, either.

I'll custom order whatever we want so long as there's some guarantee Mike and I won't take a bath on it. :) I'll talk to them and see what their prices are.